Has anyone else noticed that their finger nails are terrible - worse than before taking Letrozole (in my case)? Mine are like flaky pastry as soon as they grow at all. It isn’t in the least important, in the great scheme of post breast cancer hormone therapy issues - but I just wondered. Or is it just me… or the winter? Otherwise this treatment seems fine for me and any side effects are a small price to pay.
Hi
I’m taking anastrozole and have noticed my nails break all the time. As soon as I’ve filed them and they start to grow a bit longer they break again. My skin seems dry too so I put on lots of body cream and every time I wash my hands I put hand cream on and rub it into my nails too. I did try some nail strengthener but it didn’t work. As you say it’s maybe one of the minor side effects of taking our drugs and manageable. I just make sure I carry hand cream and an emery board with me when I go out.
Best wishes
Kathy
My nails have become really bendy and flaky too. I’m on anastrozole and herceptin, and had assumed it was the herceptin. Seems like it may be a double whammy! I’m keeping them super short (shorter than the end of my fingers), and using strengthening nail varnish. Any other tips?
I am currently having Herceptin and Tamoxifen and my nails are dreadful. They continually split and break and are generally very weak. I use nail strengthener but it doesn’t seem to do anything. I also get really sore split areas on the tips of my fingers and thumbs. Small price to pay in the grander scheme of things but still a pain!
Thanks so much everyone. As with everything in this Breast Cancer thing - it somehow helps to know that others are having similar experiences. Best wishes to all.
I have the same problem - I have been taking tamoxifen for about a year and my nails are really brittle - they grow but flake and break really easily and are not in very good condition. I think it’s a side effect of the pills.
Yes mine are the same on letrozole. The vertical split down the nail is something I’d never had before and it happens all the time now.
Hi, I am on Arimidex and my nails too are flaking and have ridges down them. I have been on Arimidex for almost four years now and have lots of side effects but I keep telling myself that these are better than the Cancer coming back. Good luck to everyone with your treatment. X
Hi, I have been on Anastrazole since January 2014. My nails are also brittle and split easily. I have found that if I use Nailoid all in one buff, polish and shine they do improve. I got them to grow well earlier this year and I then stopped using the paste. My nails are bad again. You can get the paste from some chemists or on line from Amazon for £5. Going of to do my nails now. X